Soft drinks challenge for enterprising school children

Posted on 14 June 2013

More than 400 primary school children will take part in three Enterprise Days at the University of York, designed to teach them new skills in a fun and stimulating way.

Aimed at pupils in Years 5 and 6 from primary schools feeding into Tadcaster Grammar School and Sherburn High School, the events will also help to raise aspirations and give the pupils an insight into university life.

The Enterprise Days will run from 17 to 19 June and involve the children in a Soft Drinks Challenge where they are ‘hired’ by a soft drinks company for the day to help to design a new drink to bring in more sales.

The events are part of a collaboration between Tadcaster Grammar School, Sherburn High School and the York Entrepreneurs Society – a University student-run group. They will take place in the superb Ron Cooke Hub which sits at the heart of the University’s £750 million Heslington East campus extension.

Keith Aspden, Family of Schools Co-ordinator for Tadcaster and Sherburn, said: "Tadcaster Grammar School and Sherburn High School have a commitment to widening participation and engaging with our community. The local Family of Schools works across a number of local primary schools to promote a wide and varied number of opportunities and projects, such as this one, for students and families throughout the year."

The event provides pupils with enterprise experience and a chance to see the University, and allows University students to volunteer

Oscar Ford, President of the York Entrepreneurs Society

The Enterprise Day is part of an initiative by the York Entrepreneurs Society to forge stronger links with local schools, businesses, the University and wider community.

Oscar Ford, President of the York Entrepreneurs Society, said: “This is the third year that the York Entrepreneurs Society has run this event in partnership with Tadcaster Grammar School and the University. It's a win-win situation for all involved; it provides pupils with enterprise experience and a chance to see the University, and allows University students to volunteer. At the same time it showcases the University's fantastic facilities at the Ron Cooke Hub.”

Notes to editors:

The University of York’s £750 million campus extension at Heslington East is one of the biggest capital developments in UK higher education in recent years. Its development was supported by investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in Yorkshire and the Humber, part of a major infrastructure project led by Science City York to extend the assets and strategic potential of York as a leading centre for science and innovation. Visit www.york.ac.uk/campus-development/